Date:22/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/22/stories/2006022219990100.htm

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Comprehensive plan soon to make higher education affordable

Special Correspondent

Students from lower income families will benefit, says Kumaraswamy

Teachers told to prepare youth to face the new challenges

Plan to include professional courses

Bangalore: The Government will evolve a comprehensive plan to make professional education courses more affordable to the weaker sections of society, especially students from rural areas, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the sixth Convention of Federation of Teachers' Councils of Commerce and Management in Karnataka and a national seminar on Repositioning Business Education, he said the new proposal on higher education, which is with the Government, will help students from lower income backgrounds pursue higher education. The plan is being considered, and it will include most professional courses and advanced technology courses besides management education, he said.

At present, professional education is mostly limited to those who can afford it, and the Government itself cannot set up colleges to meet the increasing demand. "New challenges have emerged with the advent of globalisation and an open economy and there is a need to prepare the younger generation to face these challenges. Educational institutions and their faculty should evolve new initiatives to shape the young according to the changing needs of society,'' Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

Pointing out that economic liberalisation is threatening to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, he said it is everyone's responsibility to ensure harmony and peace in society by equitable use of the resources.

Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor M.S. Thimmappa said access to education at all levels is the only way to help reach the benefits of progress to all sections of society.